Method and apparatus for mining sulphur



April 2s, 1936. L @DONNELL 2,038,757

' METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MINING SULPHUR Filed March 1, 1955 ATT RNEY.

latentecl pr. 28,

' UNITED STATES PATENTM OFFICE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MINING SULPHUR Lawrence ODonnell, Houston, Tex.

Application March 1, 1935, Serial No.A 8,914

7 Claims. (Cl. 262-3) This invention relates to the mining of soluble materials, and especially to Aan improved method and apparatus for mining sulphur.

In certain known localities, there exist the geological conditions and arrangements shown in the 'accompanying ligure of drawings in which a section of the earth is shown in'v connection with the mining apparatus in a conventional or dia# grammatic way.

Heretofore, the mining of sulphur has been accomplished by drilling down into the sulphurdeposit, forcing super-hot water into the deposit for melting the adjacent sulphur, then pumping or otherwise'forcing the melted sulphur up into the receptacle where the sulphur solidies to thereafter be removed for shipment and use. Here, it should be understood that the term superhot means not only above the boiling point at atmospheric pressure, but as used herein, it also means above the melting point of -native sulphur.

While that previous method accomplished a limitn ed degree of success, the cost of super-heating the Water andmaintaining its temperature above the melting point of sulphur throughout each cycle was found to be quite expensive and to require great vigilance in operating the plant to prevent the sulphur from solidifying in the delivery pipe that leads to the receptacle where it is left to cool and solidify. Y

Therefore, in'Patent No.V 1,814,539, it was proposed to use as the sulphur-melting agent a brine or aqueous solution of sodium-chloride, instead of pure (non-saline) water, so as toincrease the density of the melting fluid (for -purposes stated in that patent), and for raising the boiling point ofrsuch uid; but since the normal boiling. pointA of a saline solution or brine is less than the melting point. of sulphur, it was proposed to subject the sulphur-melting agency to pressure of a sufcient degree to raise the temperature to about i 240, F. or up to 340 F., according to various and varying conditions of the sulphur-deposit; .for obviously, the more ground-water encountered in the sulphur deposit, the more heat will be required to overcome the' coolingtendency of the same: However, less pressure is required to keep the brine atja given degree of super-heat than is requiredfor pure water, 'for thevlatter tends to be converted into steam at atemperature far below the melting point of sulphurrand torpass away into the adjacent parts of porous deposits of sulphurand other materialsg' hence, less power is required to supply the pressure to the Vbrine than tov the superheatedpure Water.

`However, 'varying andl Various conditions require, for best-results, variations in the proportion of salt in the water usedfor melting the sulphur; and it has heretofore been'found'diflcult and eX- pensive to eiect' the necessarycha'nges or variations, also-'expensive to supply the salt and to mix it with the water, so- Y Y 'Y One object of this invention is -to provide an apparatus that supplies the brine ready-mixed and in-a highly heated condition direct from 'a salt-mine subjacent or adjacentto the sulphur mine, and thereby eliminate thetrouble andrex-V pense of obtaining, mixing and varying the saltcontent and of heating it ina container thatV would be detrimentally affected thereby. Y Another object is to provide Valved pipe connections between the water-heater and the Wellcasings and supplyv and delivery tubes in a practical reation for varying the density or saltiness of the brine by manipulating the'valvesY according to various and varying requirements.

Other objects and important features are pointedV out or implied in the followingrde'scription, in connection with the accompanying drawing. f

In the drawing, the upperustratum of earth is indicated at E; the ycap-rock of limestone,at C; a stratum of anhydrite and gypsum, at -A-G; a deposit of native sulphur, at S; a pocket of melted sulphur and super-hot water, at S-`W; a lower stratum of salt or sodium-chloride, at S---C; and a pocket of super-hot'brine, at S-C-W. Y

Although, in some instances, these natural deposits are under Water, as at Lake Piegneur, La., so the mining apparatus (infwhole or in part) is supported on or in the wateigthe present apparatus is shown onY dry land and consists of co-V operative parts described as follows: Y

A well-casing l extends down into aA Well -2,- through the strata E and C and terminates in thef sulphur deposits or in the solution -Sj-W, and has a sulphur-delivery'pipe 3- extending there# through and helping to seal itat its upper end.

A second well-casing 4 extends down through a 2j we11-c'asing4, helping to seal the top of 'the latter,` and connects with a suction pump I I whose Aoutlet pipe I2 is inopen communication with the well-casing I. The pump IIV may be dispensed lwith under certain conditions, and may be such I4 and I 5, a pressure-transfer pipe lisrin corrl- 1 munioation with the pipe I3, YandealSQ Communicates with the pipe 9 at a point between thepump 6 and thecasing 4. This pipe I 6 is provided with,

' a valve I1 for regulating the rate 'of flowithere- Ythrough'or for entirely cuttingoithe flow, ace` ing conditions. i f

cording to requirements under Various vary- YEach casing I and 4 is'provided with a `seal or alzplurality of seals, a s indicated at :I-8, f I Sfand 20, to prevent thel solutions from. flowing Vupward therearound end decreasingthe pressure in thepocketscontaininglthe solutions; also to prevent the pressure from raising .the comparatively short and lightweight casing I These seals maybe p1 fovided{ir1 any,v appropriate way, Yflor instance,

'Whendrillingthewells,rat theLtime the drilling tool enters the sulphur deposit, super-hot water is forced into lsaid deposit so as to melt away the adjacent sulphur from a pocket-to be filled with portland vcement after the casing is properly placed in the welll A similar operation is performed when the drilling tool has passed into the saltrdepost, and such seal may b e either at thetop of thedeposit, or atany desired place therein.- Y Y 'The` operation. is as follows: When thefresh or non-saline Water in thewater-heater 'I has attainedl a temperature of from 300 F.to 4:00"v F., oneven higher, all. the valvesf` being closed, the

pump G is then operated by'anyappropriate means) and begins to force superfhot Water into l, the salt-deposit, Sj-jfC, so. as to' dissolve some of theA vsalt and vform a hot brine and atV the same time'build up apressure that. maintains or in creasesthe temperaturefof the brine; next, Athe pumpII .is started. toV operate and to cooperate with the pressure in the-brine-raising pipe IIlfor delivering the super-hot brine into the casing I and thence to the lsulphur-depositl S so as rto melt the .adjacent sulphur. If thelejs'cold non-saline or slightly saline groundwaterf in the sulphur deposit, thesuper-hot brine (being lighter than the cold water) immediately rises, to--thetopfand spreads to the sides of the, `cavity or pockets-W and melts thesulphur thereat, so the melted sulphur (being heavier) precipitates tothe bottom of.jthe pockettobe passed upward through the Y Ypipe 3.vr The ground-waterV soon `becomes mixed with the superhot brine and'partakes of vthe heat and the salt thereof, so! that, by makingthe brine suiiciently hot and salty,f the' whole Y mass of waterin the poektsfvvbeeqmes eective in melting the sulphur from all sides of' the pocket Y orfcavity,v upper, lower Vandrlateral. As the sulphur is forced out from the bottomr of the pocket, throughpi'pe', by pressure and/or other means,

' more roommis provided-'in'th'e'pocketY for superhot'brine'to vkeep upthe sulphur-melting temperature. From the 'piper 3,i the melted sulphurflow'sinto the tankor receptacle 2I which may have at least one reinovablefwallf;soeasyfaccess can be haclatoj the. soliedisulphur and-so the same can be broken, removed and loaded for shipment.

Variations in operation are necessary for various elds of operation andfor changes that` take place during a long-continued operation; for instance, as the pockets increase in size, the more heat is absorbed by the surrounding earthen materials, so more heat must be applied to the sulphur-pocket to insure keeping the sulphur from solidifying in the pipe 3; so, by'op'ening the valves I4 and I5, non-'saline super-hotwater can be supplied or by-passed independently of the casing 4, direct from the water-heater to the Y intakel of the pump I I, or, by a slight changeeof pipe. connections, direct to the Well-casing I,

thereby not only raising the temperature of the4 sulphur-melting brine, but also diluting it while retardingits flow through the brine-pipe I Il. However, if the` pressure in the pipe IIl is greaterrthan that inthe pipe I3 so as to cause back-pressure in theY latter in consequence of theiorce-pump 6, the valve I4 maybe closed andthe valve;v I;1-V

opened, thereby Vdividing the force o f the pump; E between. the` pipe I6 1 anda.the outletgif:v the pipe `El, so this pump then simultaneously forcesQbrine through the pipe I0 and pure Super-hot Water through the pipes Iii-I3 into the brine-current;

so` as to simultaneously dilutev and super-heat" the brine, or raise its temperature to extra-,superz-...f

heat. This dilution of the brine is l of importance forpreventing it from becoming too dense` and,

heavy; for a perfectly saturatedsolution i s p r o Vv duced in the pocket S-C-W, inasmuch the` super-hot water holds the maximum of saltzin. solution at a given pressure.; so if this saturated solution is delivered into the pocket S- W, thef salt beginsto precipitateas the water; cools and,

to mixwith the sulphur as the latter precipitates.;V

but by diluting the'brine with pure waterit,holds z thev salt in suspension wh-ile. the sulphurrplecipl:. tates'to thel mouth of the delivery pipe 3.

' I do not intend to limit my Ypatentprotection to;V Y

the precise details of construction,arrangement or method-here shown and describedfforY themvention isfsusceptible of numerous modicationswithin the scope of the inventive ideas as implied:

and claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:V f

' 1. The method of miningsulphurA fromagedlogical sulphur deposit adjacentto a. geological a salt deposit, consisting in forcing super-hot Water into the salt deposit and thereby creatingV a. brine while applying pressure'to.- maintaim the.;

heat above the melting temperatureof,sulplciur...V

and, forcing the super-hot brinefrom. thefsalti deposit to the sulphur deposit so as-to melt/the,v adjacent sulphur and hold itnsuspended in the hot., brine, and .to utilize thepressure. for for,cing the,- out; f of:r the geologi.-

brine vand suspended sulphur cal sulphur deposit.

y 2. The method of mining sulphurfrom aged.-U logical sulphur deposit adiacenti to .I a. ,geological'f salt deposit, consistingin forcingfihot,Watenintp, said saltv deposit and thus forming; a.. saturiaited.v=` salinevr solution'while applying. pressure. to .force- Vthe saturated saline solution in aurrentlthati-I passes to said 'geological sulphur deposit-and Vforcing a non-saline super-hot current of -water' into the saturated saline current so as to dilutef the saturated saline current and raise itstemQl peraturefabove the melting of sulphur s o as to meltthe adjacent sulphur jand in ternin yitUV with theV diluted saline solution while maintainff ing, apressure. .suflicient to Vkeep the ,Sulphur Cmelted and to force the melted sulphur and saline solution out of said geological sulphur deposit.

3. In an apparatus for mining sulphur from a geological sulphur deposit adjacent to a geological salt deposit, the combination of a well-casing extending into said sulphur deposit, a sulphurdelivery pipe extending into said sulphur deposit, a well-casing extending into said salt deposit, a brine delivery pipe extending into said salt deposit and being in open communication with the first said well casing so as to conduct a saline solution from said salt deposit to said sulphur deposit, a water heater which is effective to heat Water and maintain a pressure sufficient to produce super-hot water at a temperature above the melting point of sulphur and means to conduct the super-hot waterv into the second said well casing under pressure suicient to force it through this well casing into said salt deposit and to maintain a high pressure for producing a super-hot saline solution and to force the latter through the said brine conducting pipe and the rst said well casing into said sulphur deposit for melting adjacent sulphur and forcing the melted sulphur and super-hot saline solution out of the sulphur deposit by way of the sulphur conducting pipe.

4. In an apparatus for mining sulphur from a geological sulphur deposit adjacent to a geological salt deposit, the combination of means to produce a super-hot saturated saline solution within said geological salt deposit, and means to conduct said saturated saline solution from said salt deposit toward said sulphur deposit, means being provided in conjunction with the rst said means and second said means to dilute and raise the temperature of said saturated solution and to force the diluted highly heated solution into said sulphur deposit with suflicient heat and pressure to meltl the adjacent sulphur and cause a current of the melted sulphur and solution to flow out of said sulphur deposit.

5. In an apparatus for mining sulphur from a geological sulphur deposit which is adjacent to a salt deposit; the combination of means to superheat water above the melting temperature of sulphur and maintain a pressure for sustaining said temperature above said melting point, means to conduct a current of water from said heater into said salt deposit and thereby create a saturated saline solution in said salt deposit, means to conduct a current of the saline solution out of said salt deposit into cooperative relation to said wa.- ter heater, a well casing in open communication with the last said means and extendingv into said sulphur deposit, a pipe extending from said water heater to the third said means and in open communication therewith so as to conduct super-hot non-saline water to the saline solution for diluting the latter and raising its temperature as it flows towards the sulphur deposit, said pipe being provided with means to regulate the ow of non-saline water therethrough and to stop said ow, a pressure pump operatively connected to the second said means so as to increase the pressure of the saline solution in said salt deposit, and a Valved pipe in open communication with the rst said pipe and with the second said means, the valve of the second said pipe being operable for opening and closing the pipe, the first said pipe being provided with a closing valve between the second said pipe and the third said means, Whereby a current of water can be by-passed from said Y water-heater into the second said means inde- Y pendently of said pump'.

6. In an apparatus for mining sulphur from a geological sulphur deposit which is adjacent to a deposit of brine, the combination of means to conduct the brine into a sulphur deposit, means to apply pressure and conduct heat simultaneously to the brine in a proper manner and degree to melt the adjacent sulphur sol it mixes with the brine and passes therewith from the sulphur deposit under the urge of said pressure, and means to dilute the brine with super-hot non-saline water during its passage into said sulphur deposit.

7. In an apparatus for mining sulphur from a geological sulphur deposit which is adjacent to a deposit of brine, the combination of means to conduct the brine into said sulphur deposit, means to supply pressure to the brine for raising its temperature and causing it to low through the rst said means into said sulphur deposit, means in cooperative relation with the first and second said means for diluting and super-heating the brine while being conducted to said sulphur deposit so as to melt adjacent sulphur and hold it in suspension, and means to conduct the diluted brine and melted suspended sulphur from said sulphur deposit under urge of said pressure.

LAWRENCE ODONNELL. 

